CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 14636, 4 August 1911, Page 5

CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY.

Th« formation of the Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand was successfully carried through at yesterday's meeting of horse breeders, and the new society will be registered under tho Incorporated Societies Act. The rules of the society are based on j those governing the kindred society in | Britain. Among the objects are:—"To maintain unimpaired the purity of the breed of horses known as Clydosda 1 ? I horses, and to promote the breeding; .of £hese horses free from, hereditary unsoundness as far as is practically possible. To collect, verify, preserve, and publish the pedigrees of the Clydesdale •horses and other useful information relating to them. To investigate, suspicious or doubtful pedigrees of Clydesdale horses and other alleged misrepresentations relating to them, and to publish tho results of sucli investigations. To offer and grant prizes and premiums and otherwise expend its funds in any such way as may be* considered conducive to the advancement and improvement of Clydesdale horses." The following office-bearers were elected:—President, Mr J. A. Johnstone ; vice-presidents—South Island, Messrs J. D. Wylie (Sefton) and James Gow (Invcrmay, Wingatui); North Island, Messrs Ernest Short-(Parorangi, Fending), and A. E. Harding (Whangarci). Council (to consist of 24 members, 12 in each island): South IslandMessrs J. D. Wyllio (Sefton), John Shearer (Ashburton), James Stevenson (Christchurch), H. Saunders (Waimate), John Mitchell (Timaru), Wm. Gardiner (Papakaio), J. R. Mitchell (Westou), James Gow (Mosgiel), Goorgo Thomson (Dunedin), James King (Winton), Thomas Logan (Otama), W. J. Charters (Mosgiel) ; North Island —Messrs Alfred Harding (Manga wh are), Wm. Taylor (Te Awamutu), J. S. Oughton <Okaiawa), A. Hunter (Hawera), J. W. Harding (Waipukurau), Hugh Campbell (Hastings), R. J. Dagg (Masterton), Howard Booth (Carterton), E. Short (Feilding), H. Gillies (Palmerston North), W. Archibald (Hastings), J. G. Wilson (Bulls). Hon. treasurer, Mr J. A. Johnstone; hon. veterinary adviser, Mr C. J. Reakes : secretary, Mr H. V. Fulton (pro tern.). The rules of the society, as framed, were then adopted. At the conclusion of the business Mr C. J. Reakes, M.R.C.Y.S., director of the. live stock branch of the Agricultural Department, gave an address of interest to horse breeders. He outlined a Bill to be introduced by the Government with the aim of checking the perpetuation of such diseases as bone spavin, ringbone, sidebone, navicular disease, roaring, shivering, stringlialt, and bad feet. By bad feet he meant fe«t which were composed of really bad horn, and not • those, injured by an attack of founder, which was not hereditary. Compulsory examination would bo conducted by" two Government veterinary officers, the owner having the right to appeal to the chief veterinarian to. reexamine tho horse. At the re-examina-tion the owner might bo represented by any veterinary surgeon, ho liked to appoint Mr Reakes said that ho thought that tho Bill would moet th<» purpose intended, in that it would eliminate hereditary unsoundness as far as possible in the case of all horses other than thoroughbred. It was intended not to insist on the inspection of horses over two years old at the time the Bill becamo law. Two-year-olds and threo-yoar-olds would bo subject to inspection tho following year, the year after, two, three, and four-year-olds, and so on in accordance with the regulations contained in thp Bill. Stallions would bo inspected annually until they reached the age of six years, when a certificate for t\yo years would bo granted, and eight-year-old horses would be licensed for the rest of their life. Every stallion before, it could serve marcs would have to bo licensed, and before it could receive a license it would havo to pass au examination to show that it was free from heroditai-y unsoundness. While tho younger horses j only would bo suhject to inspection, i owners of older stallions could obtain I licenses for them if they so desired.

tho meeting passed a resolution approving tho principles of the proposed legislation.